There might be “Grow Trigg” bumper stickers and banners in Trigg County soon, if there aren’t already. Grow Trigg, at its Wednesday, May 20, evening meeting at the Lake Barkley State Park Lodge, decided to do more local, widespread advertising.

Since its last meeting, held on Wednesday, May 6, the group had collected more than 500 signatures for its petition to get a wet/dry vote in the county, bringing the total number of signatures to more than 750 as of that meeting, which is nearly half of their goal of 1,800 signatures, group leader Ken Culwell said.

According to growtrigg.com, the petition had 809 signatures as of Saurday.

The group leaders said at the meeting that one member of the opposition signed the petition because he wanted the issue to go to the public, and asked the group to “shut up” if the vote doesn’t go in their favor.

A group of Trigg County residents opposed to the sale of alcohol in the county will meet at 7 p.m. at the Cadiz Baptist Church Fellowship Hall.

Archie Brock, who is organizing the opposition meeting, could not be reached for comment at press time.

Trigg County Clerk Wanda Thomas had previously said that there are 10,020 registered voters in the county. Of that, 6,620 voters, or 66.2 percent, voted in the last presidential selection, according to the clerk’s office.

To get the measure on the ballot requires one-fourth of the number of voters that voted in the last election, although any registered Trigg County voter can sign the petition, Culwell said.

Although the group would only need 1,655 signatures according to that rule, Culwell said he’s hoping for at 1,800 signatures to make sure he has enough because the signatures will need to be verified.

The name must be printed, and putting nicknames, P.O. Boxes or incorrect addresses, or not putting in either a birth date or a Social Security number will make petition signatures invalid, as will a lack of legibility.

Culwell said that according to Murray City Administrator Matt Mattingly, although the number of restaurants serving alcohol in that city has gone from five to 19 since alcohol could be served, actual per capita alcohol consumption hasn’t increased in the five years since Murray restaurants were allowed to start serving liquor by the drink.

Supporters of the group have been working to spread the word, including advertising in local and regional newspapers and regional radio and television. Culwell said they will try getting the attention of media in Nashville, Tenn., next.

The group has also sent letters to all county politicians explaining how they want to keep the revenue from the sale of alcoholic beverage in the county and also want to bring new business and more events into the county.

At the last meeting, Culwell stressed that he doesn’t want to change anyone’s drinking habits, but does want the keep money spent on alcohol within Trigg County.

“I know that we have 15 percent unemployment,” Culwell said. “I know that 55 percent of the working people in Trigg County don’t work here.”

The group’s next meeting will be on Wednesday, June 3, at 6 p.m. at the Lake Barkley Lodge.